TOTALITARIAN GERMANY

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• Germany was devastated by World War I.

• Reparations further destroyed the German economy.

• The land Germany lost, both in the Treaty of Versailles and afterwards that France took as payment for reparations, was the most productive parts of Germany.

• The Depression therefore hit Germany worse than anywhere else.

• It was the perfect opportunity for a dictator to rise to power.

• Hitler was heavily motivated by Mussolini's rise to power in Italy.

• Hitler modeled Nazism after Italian Fascism.

• The Nazi Party was officially the National Socialist German Workers party. (similar to Fascism and Communism!)

NAZISM’S ITALIAN ROOTS

• In 1923, Hitler first attempted to take over the Weimer Republic (German government after World War I) from, of all places, a bar!

• He was sent to prison.

HITLER’S FIRST ATTEMPT TO TAKE CHARGE

Not your typical 1920s prison

• Blamed other countries for Germany’s hardships.

• Discussed his hatred especially for the Jewish people.

• Spoke of his desire to unite all German speaking people.

• While in prison, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle), his autobiography.

• He discussed his desires to create a new powerful Germany.

• Claimed Germans were Aryans (a master race).

MEIN KAMPF

• The Nazi Party became more popular

• By 1932, Hitler, his book, and his Nazi Party were the most popular group in Germany.

• German President Paul Von Hidenburg appointed Hitler to be the chancellor (what we would consider president!)

AS THE DEPRESSION CONTINUED…..

TO INCREASE HIS POWERS

• Borrowing from Mussolini, Nazis used mass rallies, special salutes, and special troops called the Brown Shirts and used the swastika as its symbol.

• He established the Gestapo, a secret police force.

• He outlawed other political parties and imprisoned people who disagreed with him.

• And he censored the news and promoted propaganda.

THE FUHRER

• Hitler named himself de Fuhrer (the leader).

• As the leader, he took control of the economy, outlawed unions, and focused on building factories (which could be used to build weapons) and infrastructure (government stuff).

• He ignored the Treaty of Versailles and began to remilitarize Germany.

PUTTING THE TROOPS TO WORK

• His troops invaded the Rhineland (1936), took over Austria (1938), the Sudetenland (1938), and Czechoslovakia

(1939).

• Once again, the League of Nations just told him to stop.